Skip to main content

Not All WordPress Hosting Is Equal

If you're a small business owner or entrepreneur trying to get your website online, you've probably seen hosting offers for as little as £1.99/month. But what do you really get for that?

This guide explains what proper WordPress hosting includes, how big-name providers compare, and why my all-in-one hosting solution saves you time, stress, and money — without surprise costs.

website hosting Doncaster by 121website Doncaster

1. The Illusion of Cheap Hosting

On paper, £1.99/month hosting sounds like a great deal. But once you add what you actually need — emails, backups, updates — the real cost creeps up quickly. You’ll often pay £15–£20/month and still be left managing everything yourself.

It’s like booking a cheap flight: the ticket might be £29, but adding luggage, a seat, and a coffee takes it over £90. Hosting works the same way — the base price is just a hook.

Let’s look at GoDaddy’s WordPress hosting as an example:

  • Basic Plan: First year offer is discounted to £47.86 which looks great but → renews at £119.88/year
  • Ultimate Plan: £107.88 for the first year → renews at £215.88/year

My hosting? Just £9.99/month, all-in. No upsells. No stress. No surprises.

2. Common Myths That Hurt Small Business Owners

Most people don’t think much about hosting until something breaks — or costs spiral out of control. Here are some of the most common myths I see:

Myth Reality
"I just need something basic" Even the most basic site needs SSL, backups, and working email to be safe and functional.
"My email is free" Business email (like Outlook or Gmail) usually costs £55+/year per account.
"All hosting is the same" Speed, support, security, and reliability vary a lot — and affect your site’s success.
"I'll manage it myself" Until updates break your site, or backups are missing, or a plugin fails — then you’re stuck.
"I can always add features later" Basic plans are limited — upgrades often mean higher costs or having to start over from scratch.

These myths often lead to unexpected costs or a broken site — and many clients come to me after learning this the hard way.

It’s easy to get drawn in by bold claims and low prices — that’s how modern marketing works. But the surprise comes later: when it’s time to make changes, renew your plan, or recover from a crash. Hosting isn’t exciting, so most business owners forget about it — until their site goes down. That’s when the panic sets in.

I’ve quietly restored sites for clients before they even realised something had gone wrong. If your site’s hosted with me and I spot a problem, I’ll fix it — no drama, no charge. That’s what proper hosting should feel like.

3. What Proper Hosting Includes (and What It Actually Means)

Here’s exactly what’s included in my hosting — with no technical jargon and no missing pieces. These are the things every website needs to stay secure, fast, and stress-free:

  • Free SSL Certificate:
    Shows the padlock in the browser bar. It secures your site and builds trust. Without it, browsers will mark your site as “Not Secure”.
  • Unlimited Disk Space & Bandwidth:
    Upload as many images or pages as you like. Bandwidth just means how much data your visitors use — and some hosts charge more if your site is too busy.
    • 10 GB Email Mailboxes (Unlimited):
      Every hosting plan includes unlimited email accounts, each with 10 GB of space — more than enough for most businesses. Need more space? You can upgrade any mailbox by an extra 10 GB for just £25/year — but most clients never need to.

    For comparison

    GoDaddy’s Microsoft 365 email plan costs £65/year per mailbox, and that’s just for one inbox.

    • Daily Backups for 30 Days:
      Your site is backed up every single night and kept for a full month. If anything goes wrong, we can restore a working version instantly.
    • Free Staging Site:
      Want to test a new design or plugin? You get a clone of your live site to experiment safely — no risk of breaking your actual website. Once you're happy, simply click the copy to live and you're new site is live. It's what we use to build all our websites. 
    • Firewall & Malware Protection:
      Your site is monitored for threats and protected from common hacking attempts. This is usually a paid addon elsewhere.
    • cPanel Access:
      A simple dashboard to manage your site and emails. You don’t need to touch this if I’m managing your hosting — but it’s there if you want it.
    • Free Setup & Ongoing Support:
      I set everything up for you and stay on hand to help. No call centres, no tickets — just personal, reliable support.
    • WordPress Maintenance Option:
      Need regular edits, plugin updates, and someone to keep your site running smoothly? You can add a full support plan for just £24.99/month — including unlimited website edits.
    About My Hosting

    4. Hosting Comparison – What You Really Get

    Here’s how our all-inclusive hosting compares with two of the UK’s biggest names:

    Feature Our Hosting GoDaddy 123‑Reg
    SSL Certificate ✅ ✅ ✅
    Email Mailboxes ✅ ❌ ✅
    Daily Backups ✅ ❌ ❌
    Storage ✅ ❌ ❌
    Bandwidth ✅ ❌ ❌
    Staging Site ✅ ❌ ❌
    WordPress Updates ✅ ❌ ❌
    Website & Email Setup ✅ ❌ ❌

    Note: Most providers charge extra for email, backups, or setup. With us, everything’s included — and if you’re having your site built by us, we handle it all for you.

    Order Hosting

    5. Two Hosting Options

    Whether you're tech-savvy or prefer someone else to handle it, I offer two clear hosting options — both designed to give you everything you need with no surprises.

    Option 1: Self-Managed Hosting

    I’ll set up everything for you — hosting, emails, backups, security — and you manage your own site from there. This is perfect for developers or confident users who like to stay hands-on.

    Option 2: Fully Managed Hosting & Website Care

    This is what most of my clients choose. For £24.99/month, I take care of everything:

    • Hosting, daily backups, updates, plugin monitoring
    • Unlimited website edits — just message me and I’ll sort it
    • Full peace of mind — your site stays up-to-date, secure and running smoothly

    If I built your website, you’re already eligible for this care package. I’ll manage everything behind the scenes so you can focus on running your business.

    One website per plan: Like most hosting providers, each plan covers one WordPress site. If you have more than one website, you'll need a separate plan for each — simple, fair, and exactly what you need to keep each site running at its best.

    6. Real-World Client Wins

    These aren’t made-up numbers or generic comparisons — here’s how real clients are saving money and avoiding hassle by switching to my hosting:

      • A local salon was paying:
        • £6.99/month for hosting (GoDaddy)
        • £50/year for an SSL certificate
        • £65/year for one email address (Microsoft 365)

        Now they pay just £9.99/month — with everything included.

      • A clients website crashed after a plugin update. They didn’t have backups, and the homepage broke. Luckily, they were on my maintenance plan.

    I restored the site from a daily backup and fixed the error within the hour — no panic, no extra charges, and no lost data.

    Hosting isn’t just about saving money — it’s about having someone in your corner when things go wrong. That’s what I offer to every client I host.

    7. Frequently Asked Questions

    What is web hosting?

    Web hosting is the service that stores your website and makes it available on the internet. Without it, no one can visit your site.

    Does your hosting include email?

    Yes — unlimited 10 GB email accounts are included. Most providers charge extra, but it’s part of the package here.

    Can I move my current website to your hosting?

    Yes — I can migrate your existing WordPress site and emails for you. Everything will be set up and tested before going live.

    Do I have to manage anything myself?

    No — not unless you want to. I offer a fully managed option where I take care of everything, including updates, backups, and even edits.

    Can I have more than one website?

    Yes — each hosting plan is for one website. If you have multiple sites, you can add another hosting plan, just like with any other provider.

    What if I want to make changes to my site?

    Simple! If you’re on the maintenance plan, I’ll do it for you. Unlimited edits are included. If not, I can still help with one-off changes at a fair rate or you can login and make them yourself.

    8. Final Thoughts

    Choosing hosting shouldn’t be stressful, confusing, or filled with hidden costs.

    I created this hosting service because I was tired of seeing my clients pay more for less — juggling different providers, missing backups, struggling with email setup, or being hit with surprise renewal fees.

    With me, everything is included upfront. You get honest, reliable hosting built specifically for small businesses, with personal support when you need it.

    Need a website and hosting? I’ll build it and run it all for you. Already have a site? I’ll move it over with zero downtime and take care of everything behind the scenes.

    Let’s make hosting easy.

    See Hosting Packages Contact Me

    More Reading

    Unlocking the Power of Local Schema for Enhanced SEO

    | mike | Blog
    Read More

    How Do I Improve SEO

    | mike | Blog
    Read More

    Create a Month of Facebook Posts for Your Business Using AI

    | mike | Blog
    Read More

    How to Get More Reviews: The Simple System Every Small Business Needs

    | mike | Blog
    Read More

    How I Easily Move Photos from My Phone to My Computer

    | mike | Blog
    Read More

    GMB Google My Business Profile Optimisation: A Simple Guide for Small Businesses

    | mike | Blog
    Read More

    See our full list of Blogs

    Blog Page

    Struggling to get enquiries from your website?

    Our SEO support for Doncaster businesses focuses on visibility, leads and long-term growth.